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UK raid angers Basra politicians UK raid angers Basra politicians
(about 1 hour later)
Basra City Council has said it will not co-operate with UK forces in southern Iraq after the police's serious crimes unit was disbanded by troops.Basra City Council has said it will not co-operate with UK forces in southern Iraq after the police's serious crimes unit was disbanded by troops.
More than 1,000 troops blew up a police station run by the unit, which has been blamed for robberies and death squads. British forces raided and demolished the unit's headquarters, and rescued prisoners they feared would be killed.
Major Charlie Burbridge said local politics was "complicated" and the actions had been justified. Major Charlie Burbridge said the actions were justified because the unit was corrupt and committing crimes.
Mohammed al Abadi, head of the city's council, said the raid was illegal and threatened to stop co-operation.Mohammed al Abadi, head of the city's council, said the raid was illegal and threatened to stop co-operation.
Basra police commander Brigadier General Ali Ibrahim also expressed similar views.Basra police commander Brigadier General Ali Ibrahim also expressed similar views.
"This storming operation is illegal and violates human rights," he said. "We think that what the operation sought to achieve is very simple and could have been settled by Iraqi troops.""This storming operation is illegal and violates human rights," he said. "We think that what the operation sought to achieve is very simple and could have been settled by Iraqi troops."
During the operation, UK troops raided the unit's headquarters and took charge of 127 prisoners whom they feared might be killed.During the operation, UK troops raided the unit's headquarters and took charge of 127 prisoners whom they feared might be killed.
They demolished the Jamiat police station, which was the Serious Crimes Unit's base in Basra.They demolished the Jamiat police station, which was the Serious Crimes Unit's base in Basra.
Soldiers from 19 Light Brigade supported by Iraqi forces surrounded the police station before the Royal Engineers used a combat tractor to breach the walls.Soldiers from 19 Light Brigade supported by Iraqi forces surrounded the police station before the Royal Engineers used a combat tractor to breach the walls.
UK forces had to move sooner than expected
Warrior vehicles from Staffordshire Regiments entered the compound and troops stormed the buildings.Warrior vehicles from Staffordshire Regiments entered the compound and troops stormed the buildings.
Major Burbridge, speaking on behalf of the British Army in Basra, said: "The local provincial council, or a few members of the local provincial council, conducted a press conference a couple of hours after the operation was completed and they criticised the way in which, or the means by which, we conducted the operation. 'Iraqi support'
"Now let's say we put this in context. Of course the local political scene is a complicated one." Major Burbridge, speaking on behalf of the British Army in Basra, said the rescued prisoners had been tortured and the raid had the backing of regional and national Iraqi politicians.
Major Burbridge maintained the operation had the full support of Iraqi politicians, at both the regional and national level. He said: "Some members of the provincial council conducted a press conference yesterday where they criticised what we did and how we did it.
He said Basra's provincial governor Mohammed al-Waili, who was not at the press conference, had told a UK general the troops had done the "right thing". href="/1/hi/in_pictures/6208777.stm" class="">In pictures: Basra police raid
British forces have said they were forced to move sooner than expected after receiving intelligence reports suggesting that police were planning to execute their prisoners. "But at the same time the MoD up in Baghdad had a similar press conference stating that the provincial council's facts were wrong.
"We still believe that we've done the right thing and I think it's important to acknowledge the fact that what we do here is never going to be overwhelmingly popular and if we don't get any criticism then this isn't democracy."
British forces said they were forced to move sooner than expected after receiving intelligence reports suggesting that police were planning to execute their prisoners.
Mr al Abadi, however, said local officials had not been informed of the operation and that it violated earlier agreements to move the prisoners without military action.Mr al Abadi, however, said local officials had not been informed of the operation and that it violated earlier agreements to move the prisoners without military action.
Infiltration fears
Troops carried out medical assessments of detainees before transferring them to another police station, and said there was evidence of torture.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said hundreds of seized files and computers were taken as evidence.A Ministry of Defence spokesman said hundreds of seized files and computers were taken as evidence.
The raid came three days after seven Iraqi officers were arrested by UK troops on suspicion of corruption and leading a death squad at the unit.The raid came three days after seven Iraqi officers were arrested by UK troops on suspicion of corruption and leading a death squad at the unit.
There have been long-held fears of the Iraqi police being infiltrated by corrupt officers.
And British forces have said some Iraqi commanders were using the unit as a cover for death squads and criminal activities.
The UK has 7,200 troops in the south of Iraq, mostly in the Basra area.
Iraq's second biggest city, remains dangerous, with Shia factions battling each other for control.
A military operation at Jamiat in September last year rescued two British soldiers - arrested for allegedly shooting dead a policeman and wounding another - sparking unrest in which Army vehicles were attacked.